That Which Ties Us Together
by HarryEstel
Summary: Following Estel's and Legolas' misadventure, Elrond sees no harm in visiting Lothlorien as well. One night and one sacrifice, however, can change everything as Elrond's family is about to find out. If they are to survive, they must reach Lothlorien, bef
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Here we go again but it's the same old story everyone. I do not own Lord of the Rings of any of its characters. Any characters that you do not recognize belong to me and I am making zero profit off of this story. All characters will be returned unharmed and in one piece, um, maybe that is. Hehehe. Once again I don't own, never have nor ever will, and zero profit is being made.

A/N: Hey there everyone! I told you that I'd be back before you knew it! A huge thank you to all of my reviewers and my ever loyal beta. A few of you have asked about whether this wil be the fic where Estel gets into trouble in Lothlorien. I am sorry to say that no it isn't but that the fic following this one in a few months is. Trust me though, it will be more than worth the wait. As promised, here is Chapter One of That Which Ties Us Together.

That Which Ties Us Together

by:

HarryEstel

It was hard for Elrond to believe that more than a month had passed since Estel had been returned to them from deaths doorstep. Estel had recovered nicely although from time to time he was still plagued by coughing fits, however, they were thankfully decreasing as each day went by. Legolas too had recovered nicely and was back to walking around and causing as much mayhem as possible with the twins and Estel in tow.

Today was one such day and Valar only knew what trouble the twins, Legolas, and Estel were getting into. This moment, however, he was grateful that they were otherwise occupied for it left him free to speak to Thranduil. That was, proving he could find him. For quite a bit now he had been searching the various halls of Mirkwood for her elusive King.

Naturally, of course, the last room that Elrond searched was where he found Thranduil. There, on his desk in his private library Thranduil was fast asleep. "Mellon nin, wake up," Elrond said chuckling softly.

Thranduil blinked a few times and looked up at Elrond's amused face. "Oh! Do forgive me Elrond, I must have been more work out that I had thought," he said.

"It's perfectly understandable mellon nin. It has been an eventful month for all of us," Elrond said sitting down next to Thranduil.

"Aye I know. Who would have thought a four year old could have so much energy?" Thranduil exclaimed.

Elrond laughed. "Oh Thranduil, you have no idea. You believe that Estel is active now? You should have seen him when he was two!"

"I can only imagine," Thranduil said with a shudder. "If he was anything like Legolas or the twins, I am surprised that you are still here and that Imladris is still standing!"

"You have no idea," Elrond said wryly but fondly. "You wouldn't believe the things and the trouble he got into," he said laughing.

Thranduil laughed as well. "That one is only to get into even more trouble as he gets older. Elladan and Elrohir will see to that, as will Legolas I suspect."

Elrond nodded and grinned, his silver eyes sparkling with unhidden mirth.

Seeing Elrond's eyes sparkle like that nearly made Thranduil groan aloud. Every time Elrond's eyes danced like that it meant something was going to happen, something that he wasn't going to enjoy.

"Oh don't look at me like I'm about to announce your own funeral Thranduil," Elrond said rolling his eyes. "Besides, you don't even know what I'm going to say."

Thranduil snorted. "Maybe not but I know that look Elrond and it always spells disaster for me."

"It does not and besides, this is a good thing!" Elrond exclaimed.

"Humph, if you say so," Thranduil said doubtfully.

"Anyway, speaking of Estel getting older, he is going to be five in three short days from now. I had hoped that you would let us have Estel's birthday party here."

Thranduil sighed in relief. "Is that all you wanted to ask Elrond? Of course you can have the party here mellon nin! I simply did not realize that Estel's birthday was soon!"

"Aye, time does fly by," Elrond said somewhat sadly. "Would you be willing to help out with the party?"

"Of course mellon nin. What would you have me do?" Thranduil asked.

"I need you to keep Estel occupied the day of the party. It's a surprise party and I don't want Estel to find out about it," Elrond said in one big rush.

For a moment Thranduil stared at Elrond and blinked in shock. "Elrond, I.." he began to say but Elrond didn't give him the chance.

"Oh thank you mellon nin!'" Elrond exclaimed. "I knew I could count on you," he said before hurriedly leaving room before Thranduil could say anything.

Thranduil stared blankly at the spot Elrond had just occupied only moments before. Just what had he agreed to! He groaned as he realized he would have an extremely hyperactive child to mind for a whole day, a day that was the aforementioned child's birthday. How had Elrond gotten him to agree to this? Oh right, he hadn't. "ELROND PEREDHIL!" he roared at the top of his lungs.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

At Thranduil's enraged roar, Legolas, Elladan, and Elrohir looked up from their breakfast with amusement. "It would seem that Ada has told Thranduil," Elladan remarked.

"No, whatever gave you that impression?" Elrohir asked sarcastically.

"Hmm, perhaps it was the roar," Legolas said, chuckling poor Estel's confusion.

"Ada told Uncle Thrandy what?" Estel questioned not wanting to be left out of the conversation.

For a moment the twins and Legolas started at Estel before bursting out into hysterical laughter.

"Hey! What's so funny?" Estel asked indignantly.

"Oh tithen gwador, I love you. Where in the name of the Valar did you come up with that name?" Elrohir asked while wiping away his tears of laughter.

Estel looked at him with a puzzled expression. "Leggie told me to, don't you remember Leggie?" he asked.

The twins howled with laughter while Legolas tried to find a convenient hole to crawl into and never come out. When he had suggested the name "Uncle Thrandy" to Estel he hadn't been serious. Apparently though Estel had taken it to heart and was indeed calling his father Uncle Thrandy. Oh when his brothers and sisters heard about this he would never, never live it down and neither would their father.

Elladan and Elrohir knew exactly what the youngest Prince was thinking and grinned. "Hey Estel, what do you say we go and find our dear Prince's eldest brother and... surprise him?" Elrohir said wickedly.

"Yeah!" Estel exclaimed eagerly.

"Who knows Legolas," Elladan said scooping up Estel and putting him on his shoulders. "More members of the royal family may have some new nicknames."

Everyone laughed and proceeded down to the archery fields where an unsuspecting Iaurdil was soon to become a target of one of the twins and Legolas' infamous pranks.

Down on the archery field, Iaurdil grinned as his arrow hit the center of the target perfectly. While it was true that his littlest brother was the best archer in Arda, it was he who had taught Legolas. After all, skill doesn't come from just anywhere.

Drawing back yet another arrow, he smiled as he heard the twins and Legolas creeping up behind him, no doubt intending to "surprise" him. "Mellon nin, that trick only works once," he said without turning around. That was a big mistake.

A second too late, Iaurdil realized he really should have turned around when he heard something that sounded like a war cry. Before he could even turn around and evade whatever was coming towards him, something small and fast barreled into him and knocked him to the ground.

"Oof," Iaurdil said rather ungracefully as he looked up and saw the twins and Legolas grinning at him and Estel beaming at him from his position on top of his chest.

"Did we surprise you Iaurdil?" Estel asked excitedly.

"Aye, that you did tithen pen," Iaurdil groaned. "Now if you would kindly get off of my chest so I can kill your brothers and mine?"

With a grin, Estel hopped off the poor elf's chest and went straight to Legolas. "Leggie, I can't think of a nickname to give Iaurdil, can you help?"

"Oh no no," Iaurdil quickly said. "Estel, if I promise you that I won't hurt Legolas or your brothers, will you agree not to give me a nickname?" he asked rather desperately. Word had already circulated through his siblings of the name that the little one had given his father and Legolas and he had no intention of becoming the third victim.

"Hmmm, ok," Estel said happily.

"Has father heard the nickname yet?" Legolas asked Iaurdil with a raised eyebrow.

Iaurdil's eyes widened in horror at the thought. "Nay tithen gwador! Believe me, if he had heard it we would have known by now."

"Ah good. I had hoped I had not missed its unveiling. I very much desire to see Adar's face when Estel calls him that," Legolas said.

"No doubt from a convenient hiding place," Iaurdil said wryly. "It's nothing short of a miracle that one of our siblings haven't said anything yet."

"They know?" Legolas asked.

"Oh yes, they know. Word travels fast Greenleaf, you of all people should know that," Iaurdil said.

Legolas laughed. "Aye, that I do."

"Excuse me, but speaking of hiding places, I think that we should have an escape route ready just in case," Elladan said seriously.

Estel looked up at him in puzzlement. "Why would we need to hide Dan?" he asked innocently with wide silver eyes that could melt even a Valar's heart.

The twins, Legolas, and Iaurdil all just grinned. "My friends," Legolas began. "I do believe that we have just found our protection and his name is Estel."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

While his sons, Iaurdil, and Legolas were plotting when to reveal Estel's new nickname for Thranduil, Elrond was taking refuge in one of the various palace gardens when Glorfindel came up to him grinning.

"Judging by Thranduil's horrified expression and ramblings about killing you, I take it that you told him about watching Estel for the whole day," Glorfindel said.

Elrond grinned wryly. "Aye, I told him and then left before he could refuse which was probably one of the smarter moves I have made in my life."

"Mellon nin, you are treading in dangerous waters," Glorfindel said while laughing. "He is not likely to forgive you for this for a long long time to come."

"Oh believe me, I know," Elrond said grimacing. "However, I am about to enter even more dangerous waters now."

Glorfindel raised a golden brow. "Oh, is that so?"

"Aye, tis so most unfortunately. I must write a letter to Galadriel and Celeborn explaining all that has happened this past month. I am hoping the news that we are coming to visit may deter them from dismembering me piece by piece," Elrond said with a wince.

"Ouch," Glorfindel said sympathetically. "Valar knows that I wouldn't want to write that letter."

"Most sane people wouldn't want to either," Elrond said wryly. "However, I have no choice in the matter seeing as they must be informed that we are visiting and informed of everything that has happened as of late."

"I do not envy you when you get there Elrond," Glorfindel said shaking his head while laughing.

"Oh, I wouldn't laugh just yet if I were you Glorfindel," Elrond said with a wicked sparkle in his eyes.

Glorfindel stopped laughing immediately as a feeling of dread invaded his body and settled down at the bottom of his stomach. "Whatever do you mean?"

"I mean that you are coming with us my dear friend," Elrond said. "You did not think that I would really travel to Lorien without some form of an escort did you?"

"Well, no, but I thought that you were going to send me back to Imladris and relieve Erestor before he goes out of his mind," he said desperately. He would rather face a mountain of paperwork than have a hand in explaining to the Lady of Lorien what had happened to her youngest grandson.

"I am sorry mellon nin but you are coming with us and that's final," Elrond said not looking sorry at all.

Glorfindel scowled at Elrond. "Just you wait until we return to Imladris after this visit. There will be no hiding for you!"

"Yes, yes, my doom and death will be upon me," Elrond said unconcernedly.

Glorfindel just glared at him. "I think that I will go find Thranduil so that we can commiserate our bad fortunes together."

Elrond smirked. "You go on right ahead and do that mellon nin. I'm sure that Thranduil would love the company."

With one last glare at Elrond, Glorfindel walked way muttering about elf lords and their unfortunate tendency to drive anyone in their path mad.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Dinner that night proved to be quite the entertaining affair with both Glorfindel and Thranduil glaring at Elrond while Elrond simply smirked. Predictably, Estel picked up on the tension between the three elf lords and gave them odd looks.

"Ada, why are Glorfy and Uncle Thrandy glaring at you like you usually glare at the twins?" Estel asked.

Iaurdil nearly choked on the bite of meat he had just taken and he was not the only one. All around the table his siblings and Elrond's sons were coughing and spitting out pieces of their dinner as shock set in. For a moment, there was dead silence as everyone looked at Estel and then to Thranduil, and then back to Estel. King Thranduil would never, never live this down. Never.

Thranduil surprised them all, however, by laughing and moving over to Estel and giving the young boy a large hug. "Oh Estel, you are too precious for words. Hannon le tithen pen, hannon le. I cannot remember the last time I saw my family or yours so shocked."

Estel looked at him with puzzlement but shrugged it off. Adults were just plain odd sometimes.

The rest of the night proceeded with out incident, unless one counted Thilloth choking on his heavily spiced potatoes, compliments of Elladan and Elrohir of course.

Once again, things had become rather interestring around Mirkwood and her residents couldn't wait to see what would happen next.Translations:

Ada: Dad/daddy

Tithen pen: Little one

Tithen gwador: Little brother

Mellon nin: My friend

Mellyn nin: My friends

Ion nin: My son

Arda: Middle Earth


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: See Chapter One.

A/N: Okay, hello again everyone! I am terribly sorry about the delay in getting the second chapter of this story out but in the past three weeks I've had tests and papers galore, work (holiday season is murder on us) and believe it or not, I've been through three computers. Yes, three. My first one started to turn pink from my skin for some unknown reason. I took it back to the store and they gave me another one thinking it a freak reaction to that one computer. Wrong. Within less than 12 hours, my second new laptop started to turn pink too! So now, here we are on the third computer which is a darker metal, thank god, and it is not turning pink! It took me a long while to transfer all my files though because this is a different system than the one I'm used to working with. I've got it now though! HA! Anyway, I'm sorry if there was any confusion but this story directly follows Estel and Greenleaf where Estel was four years old. My pattern is usually I'll do a young Estel story then followed by an grown Estel and so on. So the next story after this one will once again focus on a grown Estel? Everyone with me? If not, just PM me and I'll try to explain in more detail. Anyway, thank you all so much for your reviews! I'm so glad that you all like it so far and believe me, there is much more to come. I won't even try to estimate how long the story is going to be because somehow my muse always runs away from me. A huge thank you to my very patient beta enb2004! Love you girl! As promised, here is Chapter 2. Enjoy!

Chapter 2:

Three days later Estel's birthday had arrived and the entirerty of Mirkwood was thrown into chaos as the surprise party was being constructed.

Much to Thranduil's dismay, Elrond found him very early in the morning with Estel in tow. "Ah, there you are mellon nin," he said. "Now Estel, I want you to be a very good boy for the King all right? Your brothers, Legolas, and myself have something very important to do so don't come looking for us unless it's truly an emergency."

"All right Ada!" Estel agreed happily. He had a feeling that a surprise of some sort was being planned and he loved surprises!

"Good luck mellon nin, believe me, you're going to need it," Elrond said laughingly.

Thranduil scowled but soon softened when Estel hugged him around the middle just like Legolas used to when he was but an elfling. Perhaps this wasn't going to be so horrible after all.

"I'll see you this evening tithen pen. I love you," Elrond said after picking up Estel and hugging him.

Estel giggled. "Love you too Ada!"

Elrond smiled and winked at Thranduil before departings. Once he had left, Thranduil looked down at the small child and smiled. "So tell me tithen pen what it is that you would like to do today?"

Estel frowned in thought for a moment before giving Thranduil a large grin.

Thranduil saw the grin and instantly began to sweat despite the chilly weather. That grin resembled the twins and Legolas' far to closely for his liking and it was making him increasingly nervous.

"Uncle Thrandy, will you teach me how to climb a tree?" Estel asked, his silver eyes pleading in such a way that it was impossible to say no.

Inwardly, Thranduil thanked the Valar that Estel's grin hadn't meant disaster and chaos like the twins and Legolas' did. "Of course Estel! I'll have you know that I am one of the best climbers around. Who do you think taught Legolas how to climb?"

Estel giggled and pointed at Thranduil.

Thranduil grinned and picked the little boy up and placed him on his shoulders. "Exactly! And guess what?"

"What!" Estel said excitedly.

"I just happen to know the perfect tree for you to begin climbing on," Thranduil said with a grin. In reality, the tree was practically a bush but for someone Estel's size, it was the perfect starting place.

"Is it that one over there?" Estel asked pointing towards the one lone tree in the courtyard by the pond.

"It is indeed," Thranduil chuckled. "I had it planted there specifically for Legolas and it was upon that very tree that he learned how to climb."

"Wow," Estel said in awe. To think that he would soon be climbing the very tree that Legolas had when he was young!

"Now Estel, the first rule of thumb when climbing is to be very aware of where your hands and feet are going," Thranduil said as he put down Estel and demonstrated. "One must always grasp onto the branches, but only the thick ones, while placing your feet where they won't slide."

"Like this?" Estel said as he easily hopped onto the lowest branch of the tree.

"Yes! Very good Estel!" Thranduil praised while inwardly wondering how Estel had mastered that so quickly. The only other person he knew that had grasped the concept so quickly was his own Legolas.

Estel beamed at him and before Thranduil could do or say anything, Estel hopped to the next branch and sat down next to him. "Now what?" he asked excitedly not knowing that he had nearly given the poor King a heart attack.

"Estel, how did you do that?" Thranduil asked slowly while trying to calm his racing heart. Never, never had he seen an Edain move like that in the trees before. Estel had done it so quickly the King had thought for sure that he was going to fall!

Estel looked at him oddly. "I just did what you said to do Uncle Thrandy. I watched where my hands and feet were going and once I was in the right place, I moved."

"Oh is that all," Thranduil muttered sarcastically to himself. This one was indeed a special child and Thranduil was more than happy to be considered part of Estel's extended family. He could, however, do without being given near heart attacks by the unexpected talents the child seemed to harbour. There was only so much that even an Elven Lord could take!

"Can we go higher now?" Estel asked hopefully.

Thranduil looked at Estel appraisingly and inwardly shrugged his shoulders. "I don't see why not seeing as you practically have climbing mastered. Just be very careful on the high branches because they are thinner than these ones," he warned.

"I'll be careful," Estel chirpped happily before swinging at an alarming rate to the next branch and even farther up.

"Estel!" Thranduil groaned as he scrambled to keep up with the headstrong child.

"Wow! It's beautiful up here!" Estel exclaimed from the top branches.

"Hold on one moment until I get there," Thranduil said grabbing a branch as he spoke. In his haste, however, to reach Estel he did not take his own advice about watching for thinner branches. As he pulled himself up onto the higher branch, Thranduil suddenly heard an ominous creak.

"Oh no," he whispered as he desperately tried to get to the nearest branch, but it was too late. Before Thranduil could truly comprehend what had just happened, the branch underneath him cracked and both he and the branch went plunging down into the icy cold pond right underneath the tree.

Sputtering and coughing he surfaced and waded out of the pond and collapsed onto the courtyard.

"Uncle Thrandy, Uncle Thrandy! Are you all right?" Estel asked from above him. How the child had gotten out of the tree without assistance was beyond him.

"Yes Estel, I'm all right. Just soaking wet," he said to the anxious child.

"Good," Estel said with obvious relief as he went to hug the King.

"Ah ah! I don't think so tithen pen. You can't hug me just yet because I'm wet. What would your Adar say if I let you hug me with these wet robes and then you caught ill because of it?" Thranduil said being careful to keep Estel at arms length.

"I take it that he would be very displeased," came Legolas' cheerful voice from behind Thranduil. "Mind you Ada, why exactly are you wet anyway?"

Thranduil growled but didn't say anything knowing that Estel would tell the story. He would be lucky if the entire population of Mirkwood didn't hear about what happened by night fall.

"Uncle Thrandy was teaching me how to climb, when he didn't listen to what he told me and stepped on one of the really really thin branches! The branch broke and he fell into the pond!" Estel exclaimed.

Legolas stared at his father for a moment before breaking out into hysterical laughter. "You Ada? One of the best climbers stepping on one of the thin branches!" he asked in between bouts of laughter.

"Yes yes, rub it in ion nin," Thranduil mock growled. "As if it wasn't embarrassing enough as it was, Estel managed to get to the top and back down without any assistance!"

"You mean to say he beat you during his very first climbing lesson?" Legolas laughed.

"Yes ion nin, that is what I just said," Thranduil said playfully cuffing Legolas on the head.

Shaking his head in laughter and disbelief, Legolas turned to Estel. "My, you are just full of surprises, aren't you Estel?" he said.

"Yep!" Estel said proudly.

"Indeed," Thranduil said dryly. "Now Legolas, I thought that you were supposed to be with Elrond and the twins getting everything ready."

"That's actually why I came out here in the first place," Legolas said. "Everything went very smoothly and we are actually ready for the surprise now."

"Yah! I love surprises!" Estel said with a big grin.

"Here Ada, I'll take Estel while you go and change. Don't worry, I'll explain your absence to anyone who wishes to hear the tale," Legolas said with a grin as he took Estel's hand and began to walk away.

"Oh Greenleaf, don't forget that you are my youngest child and as such, my memories of your misdeeds as an elfing are very very clear in my mind," Thranduil threatened.

"So you say Ada," Legolas said without batting an eye. "We'll see you shortly!" he said with a laugh and took off with Estel before Thranduil could get a word in edge wise.

"Young ones," Thranduil muttered fondly.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Within the palace, Elrond was pacing around restlessly waiting for Legolas to retrieve Thranduil and Estel. Honestly, what was taking them so long? How hard was it to collect one human child and one Elven King? Surely not that hard!

"Elrond, mellon nin, you must stop pacing around like that! There is nothing to worry about. We are safe here in the palace, so you have no need to worry." Glorfindel said with exasperation

Elrond shot both Glorfindel and the twins a glare for that statement. "Do you honestly think that I believe that nonsense Glorfindel? How many times have they proven that wrong?" he said with another glare at the twins.

"What? What did we do?" Elladan asked defiantly.

Elrond glared at his eldest. "Elladan, you know very well what you and your wayward brother have done and the trouble you have gotten into here in this very palace. And now, you have spread your 'disease' to your baby brother!"

"They've spread what disease to their baby brother?" Legolas asked in a amused voice from behind Elrond.

"Oh thank you mellon nin!" Elrohir exclaimed. "Adar thought that just because you were running a bit late that something terrible had happened to Estel based on our previous experiences here."

"See Ada?" Elladan said. "Nothing to worry about."

"Humph, we'll see," Elrond said, still suspicious. "Now, where is your father Legolas?"

"Oh, he had to go and get changed out of his wet robes," Legolas said laughing.

Elrond and Glorfindel blinked while the twins chuckled. "Wet robes?" they asked together.

"Yes, wet robes. You see, Estel here wanted to learn how to climb a tree, so father took him to the one he taught me to climb as an elfling. Unfortunately for Ada, he apparently didn't listen to his own advice about how to avoid the thin branches and down he went into the pond," Legolas said laughing with everyone else joining in.

"You learned how to climb tithen pen? Way to go!" Elladan said scooping up Estel and hugging him tightly after he had stopped laughing.

"He's a climber all right," Thranduil said finally entering the room in clean robes with his hair still slightly wet. "I'm telling you Elrond, he's a natural. He moved so fast that one would think he was an elf who had been born in the trees like my Legolas."

Elrond smiled and finally allowed himself to relax. Maybe Glorfindel was right and he was becoming to paranoid. Well, who could blame him with the children he had? Even Arwen had been a troublemaker in her day and still was. Between his four children it was a wonder he hadn't gone grey from sheer fright yet. "I am very proud of you ion nin," he said taking Estel from Elladan. "Now, what do you we all go down to the dinning room so we can start your birthday party Estel?"

"Yah!" Estel said scrambling to get down.

Elrond smiled and gently deposited Estel on the floor as everyone moved towards the door. Estel was growing up so fast. It still seemed like it was only yesterday that Estel had been barely more than a babe and tugging at his father's robes to be picked up and held.

Thranduil seemed to have realized where Elrond's thoughts had gone for he clasped him on the shoulder gently. "He is still very young Elrond and he has his whole childhood in front of him. He is only five after all."

Elrond smiled. "I know. But I am going to miss my baby boy.

"Yes, I know you will but at the same time you will enjoy watching him grow into a strong young man. You'll always have memories of his childhood just like you do of your other children and I of mine," Thranduil said wisely.

Elrond smiled again at his long time friend. "Oh mellon nin, what would I do without you?" he asked shaking his head.

Thranduil laughed. "I have no idea mellon nin. Thank goodness for everyone that I am here to keep that head of yours straight and pointing in the right direction."

"Indeed," Elrond said wryly. "Come, let us go and enjoy my little one's party. Maybe then we will discover more of his hidden talents."

Thranduil laughed and together the two friends walked out of the room never knowing that some of Estel's harbored talents would soon be put to the test in one of the cruelest situations imaginable.

Translations:

Ada: Dad/Daddy

Ion nin: My son

Tithen pen: Little one

Mellon nin: My friend


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: See Chapter One.

A/N: Hey there everyone! Sorry about the delay in updating but I hit a bit of writers block which I have thankfully gotten over. I'm telling you though, the holiday season fried my brain at work. Yeesssh! Some people are absolutely crazy I tell you. Anyway, thank you all so much for your reviews, they mean the world to me! A huge thank you to my wonderful beta enb2004 for being so supportive and patient with me! As promised here is Chapter 3! Enjoy!

When Thranduil and Elrond walked into the private dinning room where Estel's party had been set up, Thranduil almost didn't recognize it with all the bright and festive decorations.

"Wow, you really out did yourself this time Elrond," Thranduil murmured softly.

Elrond was paying him no heed, however, for he was too enraptured with watching Estel take in everything.

"Is this all for me Ada?" Estel asked with wide silver eyes. The only time he had ever seen so many gifts and decorations was during Yule but that had long since passed!

"Of course it is tithen pen!" Elrond said with a smile. "After all, it isn't every day that you're young little man turns five."

Estel giggled and shook his head in agreement while continuing to look around the room in awe.

What Estel didn't know was that Elrond had decided to go all out this year for two reasons. One reason of course was that Estel had reached a turningpoint in his childhood. The other, however, was due to the trauma that Estel had suffered all to recently. Between Gorothdil and his misadventure with Legolas in the woods, Elrond had felt the need to spoil Estel somewhat and everyone had agreed.

"So, what would you like to eat first birthday boy?" Elladan asked.

"Cake!" Estel exclaimed predictably.

Everyone laughed and headed over to where a very large cake was sitting upon the table. "Ah, I see your chef has somehow found out Estel's favorite kind to cake," Elrond laughed upon seeing it. His youngest had somewhat of an odd (or so he thought anyway) taste for cake. Somehow, Estel had gotten it into his head that cake and ice cream should be made into one large dessert.

The twins and Legolas snorted while Thranduil and the rest of his children looked at the cake in confusion.

"What is it?" Iaurdil asked his nose wrinkling in distaste.

"It certainly doesn't look all that appealing," Fuina agreed.

"I must agree," Thranduil said. "Tell me tithen pen, what kind of cake is this?" he asked Estel.

Estel beamed at him proudly. "It's my own invention! It's an ice cream cake."

"A what cake?" Aruviel said in disbelief.

"An ice cream cake! You know, a cake with both ice cream and cake!" Estel said enthusiastically.

"I know that it may not look all that appetizing but it is actually quite good," Elrond said with a smile.

"Truly it is, although I must admit we had a similar reaction when we first saw it," Elrohir said with a laugh.

Thranduil gave him a skeptical looked but resigned himself to his fate. "All right then, let us have some of this... ice cream cake."

Glorfindel chuckled and began to cut the cake. "Here you go birthday boy," he said heaping a large piece onto Estel's plate.

Thranduil's eyes widened in alarm at the size of the piece. "Elrond, tell me he won't be able to finish that whole slice."

"Oh I'm afraid he will but it is his birthday, so we'll just have to put up with the sugar rush that is sure to follow," Elrond murmured back.

Thranduil gulped but took a piece of cake for himself without further comment. Once everyone had their slice, Estel and his family immediately dug in with everyone else looking on with trepidation.

"Come on Legolas, aren't you going to have some?" Estel asked when he noticed that no one else save his Ada and brothers were eating the yummy cake.

"Yes, I shall have some," Legolas said with a sigh. "As will everyone else," he said with a glare. If he had to suffer through this then it was only fair that the rest of his family should suffer as well.

"You first ion nin," Thranduil muttered softy to Legolas so as not to hurt Estel's feelings.

Legolas grimaced but picked up his fork and reluctantly put a tiny bite of the cake in his mouth while Elrond and the twins watched with glee. Much to his, and his family's surprise, he did not have to spit out the cake. The cake had a very pleasant cool taste to it and the chocolate cake did seem to go well with the mint ice cream much to his shock.

"Ummm! This is very good Estel," Legolas said as he dug in heartily.

Thranduil looked at his youngest in disbelief but he knew now for sure he would have to try the cake.

Reluctantly he did so and he too found it was incredibly delicious!

"Is that mint I taste?" Iaurdil asked beating his father too the punch.

"Yep!" Estel answered gleefully. "It's my favorite flavor!"

"I think I can see why, particularly with the chocolate," Thranduil said as he helped himself to more.

"See? Told you Leggie!" Estel said.

"Aye, so you did," Legolas said shaking his head in disbelief. He had learned of Estel's fondness of ice cream cake back in Imladris but up until now he had never had occasion to try it. Before, he hadn't thought that too bad a thing at all but now it seemed like a crime that he hadn't had it before.

"How did you come upon this concoction Estel?" Fuina asked curiously as she ate.

"Well, I've always loved mint ice cream and I've always loved chocolate, so I mixed them one day all by myself!" Estel said proudly.

Thranduil winced and shot a sympathetic look at Elrond. He had learned through hard earned experience that young ones and the kitchens never, never mixed.

"He actually made it quite well considering his age," Elrond said with a shrug. He had long since become accustomed to Estel's occasional odd quirks and talents. It didn't stop him from being surprised from time to time, however.

"Well, now that we've all had our cake, I do believe that it is time to move on to the gifts!" Elladan exclaimed happily. He loved seeing his little brother react to the different gifts and his joy in receiving them.

"Yah! Presents!" Estel said happily.

Everyone laughed at his enthusiasm before moving into the sitting room to open up the gifts.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Two hours later all the gifts had been opened and Estel was curled up in Thranduil's lap after having the King read to him the book he had given Estel.

"Ada, I do believe that little one has you wrapped around his little finger," Iaurdil said fondly.

Thranduil smiled and nodded. "Yes, I suppose he does but you are one to speak ion nin. Do not think for a moment that I have not noticed how you dote on his as you once did and still do on Legolas."

"Ada!" Iaurdil and Legolas exclaimed quietly together.

"Iaurdil does not dote on me," Legolas said disdainfully. "Overprotective of me? Yes, in the extreme. Doting on me? Hardly. I would never allow it."

"Agreed!" Iaurdil stated vehemently. "Doting indeed. That is a job best left to females. It is their job to be the mothering sort."

Every sane male in the room winced at Iaurdil's last comment. "Iaurdil, I love you very much but not even I will make an attempt to defend you," Thranduil said.

"What?" Iaurdil said confused.

"Gwador, I do hope that you have made out your last will because you are about to die a very, very painful death," Legolas said looking nervously over at his sisters.

Iaurdil saw where he was looking and turned towards the females in the room only to find them glaring at him as though he were Sauron himself.

"What exactly did you say about us dear older brother?" Fuina hissed.

"Yes, what did you say? For I would have sworn you said something about leaving doting to females for they are the mothering type," Aruviel said in a dangerous soft voice.

"I mean no disrespect of course," Iaurdil said hastily backpedaling. Stupid! He couldn't believe he just said that in front of his two highly volatile sisters. He was dead, that was a certainty.

"Ah my dear ladies, I do beg you to forgive your brother for now. After all, we have a sleeping child in the room. There is no need for him to witness Iaurdil's massacre," Elrond said hastily.

Thranduil's daughters huffed but they agreed. The last thing they wanted to do was spoil Estel's birthday.

"Very well, but don't expect us to forget this Iaurdil Thranduilion," Fuina hissed as she jabbed her finger into his chest.

Iaurdil paled but nodded as both his sisters left the room with their heads held high while making plans for their brother to suffer horrendously.

"Congratulations Iaurdil, you have done something I had not thought possible," Glorfindel said in awe.

"Oh, and what is that?" he asked dejectedly.

"You have made a female more infuriated than the twins, a feat I had not thought possible," Elrond said.

"Aye, we have never made Arwen that mad before. Then again, though, we never made a comment like that to her either," Elrohir said with a laugh.

"I would be careful if I was you mellon nin. Women when infuriated are a relentless force. The only thing we innocent people can do is wait out the storm while you face it head on," Elladan said.

Iaurdil grumbled but he knew that the twins were telling the truth. There was nothing he could do but wait for his sisters to do to him whatever it was they were planning. "This is going to be a very bad few weeks for me isn't it?" he asked.

Thranduil shook his head sadly. "You have no idea ion nin, you have no idea."

As it would turn out, however, none of them knew just how bad the following few weeks would be.

Translations:

Ada: Dad/Daddy

Ion nin: My son

Gwador: Brother

Mellon nin: My friend


End file.
